Forest of Rust

Forest of Rust is a random encounter in Tales from the Tiers.

Transcript
Much of the day is spent navigating through a dense, metallic forest. The strong roots of the ancient Sagewood kept the trees standing after the Edict of Storms hit, their large boughs and branches collecting whatever detritus the wind swept up. What remains is a bizarre, dead forest with metal scrap for a canopy. Rusted weapons dangle from above, embedded in trunks and looped through branches. Fragments of armor decorate the tree limbs above you, a clinking mass of rust-colored foliage. You glance upward and catch sight of finely-crafted blade, rust-free and balanced precariously upon some branches high up in the tree. Climb the tree. Shake the tree. Use Force magic to knock down the blade. Ignore the weapon and move on. The first branches are more than twenty feet up, requiring a slow, ponderous shimmy up the trunk until you're able to reach up to grab hold of an embedded spear - one that supports your weight. You pull yourself higher and make a daring leap to the branches above. As your right hand makes contact, you hear the snapping of brittle wood... but only from one of the branches in your grasp. You dangle for a moment before grabbing hold with two hands. Soon, your feet find their way to a sturdy bough, and you are safe. Navigating up the rest of the tree is a much easier affair. The metal decorations make for awkward movement, but you manage a steady pace. Upon reaching the blade, you make a pleasant discovery - several pieces of intact gear have been swept into the crown of the tree. You unhook and drop the items, watching them as they bounce and plummet to the ground below. A short while later, you're back upon the forest floor, richer for your efforts. The trunk resists any efforts to shake it - a fruitless venture, given their resistance to the Edict storms. The branches above you are at least twenty feet away, further complicating your task. You search the forest floor and find the remnants of long, fallen branch. Raising it up, you rap it against the tree's lower limbs, which rustle slightly but otherwise remain steady. With a deep breath, you swing the branch forward in a powerful arc. Immediately, several pieces jagged metal race downward. One barely misses you head, while a shredded breastplate bounces off the nearby trunk and rakes you across your arm and torso. The lacerations aren't life-threatening, but they are painful. Glancing upward, you spy the blade high above, completely undisturbed from the commotion below. Your hands glide across the air in an intricate performance, fingers curling and twisting to sign the Sigil of Force. You feel a swell of energy rushing along your arms, and guide it forward towards the edges of your fingertips. It bursts outward with a loud crack, shooting through the tree's many boughs as a concussive bolt. It strikes the branch holding the coveted blade, smashing through it and continuing upward past the visible canopy. You deftly step out of the way as the weapon, and many other objects, come tumbling down. It's a messy descent - belts and boots kick neighboring weapons, which it turn sever branches and collide with breastplates in a chaotic dance. Long-undisturbed metal particles rain down, coating the forest floor in red streaks and patches. The clamor is grating to the ears, but is mercifully over quickly. You sift through the rusting pile and retrieve your prize, still intact. The situation feels familiar, and you recall past moments in which seemingly-innocuous prizes turned into bothersome endeavors. With plenty of tough forest navigation still remaining, you decide to continue on, leaving the Sagewood's blade as temptation for the next traveler. The nearest branch is a good twenty feet up. After your third attempt to shimmy up the trunk ends in a painful fall, you step away from the tree and reconsider your options. The situation feels familiar, and you recall past moments in which seemingly-innocuous prizes turned into bothersome endeavors. With plenty of tough forest navigation still remaining, you decide to continue on, leaving the Sagewood's blade as temptation for the next traveler. Navigating up the rest of the tree is a much easier affair. The metal decorations make for awkward movement, but you manage a steady pace. Upon reaching the blade, you make a pleasant discovery - several pieces of intact gear have been swept into the crown of the tree. You unhook and drop the items, watching them as they bounce and plummet to the ground below. A short while later, you're back upon the forest floor, richer for your efforts. You deftly step out of the way as the weapon, and many other objects, come tumbling down. It's a messy descent - belts and boots kick neighboring weapons, which it turn sever branches and collide with breastplates in a chaotic dance. Long-undisturbed metal particles rain down, coating the forest floor in red streaks and patches. The clamor is grating to the ears, but is mercifully over quickly. You sift through the rusting pile and retrieve your prize, still intact. Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... Climb the tree. The first branches are more than twenty feet up, requiring a slow, ponderous shimmy up the trunk until you're able to reach up to grab hold of an embedded spear - one that supports your weight.